Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Shadows of Evil
by Jigsaw13327
Summary: (TFA SPOILERS) One year has passed since the destruction of Starkiller Base. But the war is far from over... As the last Jedi returns, the First Order strikes back with a hideous new power... Love and betrayal begin to blossom... And a shocking, galaxy-shattering secret is revealed... Rated T for sci-fi-adventure violence, and all-around mature content
1. Where Jedi Go to Die

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

Okay, I know I should be working on other pieces (cough, More Man Than Machine and Frozen: Hunters, cough) but after watching TFA I couldn't help but come up with Episode VIII in my head. So, here it is, the continuation of the Sequel Trilogy, by to you by me!

Have fun!

Jigsaw 13327

* * *

 _A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..._

 ** _STAR WARS_**

 ** _EPISODE VIII_**

 ** _THE SHADOWS OF EVIL_**

A year has passed since the destruction of the Starkiller Base. The First Order has been in relentless pursuit of the fledgling Resistance, driving them from their base on D'Qar and scattering their remaining forces across the galaxy. LUKE SKYWALKER, the last Jedi, has returned from exile to reluctantly train REY in the Jedi Arts. But even as the Light Side begins to regain its strength, the Dark Side continues to grow unmatched in power, threating to destroy all hope.

Hoping to bolster the shattered Resistance forces, General Leia Organa sends the two Jedi to the lava world of Mustafar on rumors of a unactivated battalion of CIS BATTLE DROIDS. Through his seemingly endless network of spies, Supreme Leader Snoke learns of the treachery and dispatches his dark apprentice, Kylo Ren, to Mustafar in order to stop the Jedi and crush the Resistance once and for all...

* * *

 **I**

 **Where Jedi Go to Die**

The void of space was infinitely black, with pinpricks of light representing the nearby stars. In this blackness, a small ship appeared. It was a modified YT-1300 Corellian Crusier, capable of completing the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs. It was the _Millennium Falcon,_ fastest ship in the galaxy, formely owned by Captain Han Solo. Inside the cockpit sat Rey, now a Jedi Padawan, Chewbacca, and BB-8. Rey passed the controls of the Falcon over to Chewie and strode onto the main deck, her new Jedi robes brushing against the floor. She found Luke Skywalker on the floor of the passenger hold, cross-legged, deep in meditation.

"Sir?" she said. In the past year he had taken her under his wing. Not without a great deal of convincing, of course. The man was as stubborn as a wild luggabeast, and, desperate not to repeat his mistakes, he brushed her off. After several weeks of refusing to leave, he had finally caved in, and began to train her in the ways of the Jedi. It wasn't so much the physical, "swinging around a lethal glowstick and doing headstands for hours upon hours" that he trained her in. Her time on Jakku had already made her strong in that area. It was more so the spiritual "getting in touch with the Living Force and quiet meditation" part of being a Jedi that he taught her. Of course, that didn't mean they completely neglected her physical duties.

She waited for him to respond. A few seconds passed, and his brittle voice spoke up: "Yes?"

"We're approaching the Mustafar system" she responded.

A pause, then: "Contact the General and let her know that we're close."

"Yes, sir." She started to walk away, but Luke spoke up again:

"I sense your worry. What is troubling you, my apprentice?"

She hesitated, then said: "This planet, sir. It is strong in the Dark Side. I am afraid of what may lie ahead."

"Do not be afraid. Let the Force guide you and support you. I too feel its evil presence, but we must stay strong. We cannot let a planet scare us off. This mission is crucial to the Resistance's survival. We must not fail."

"Yes, sir" Rey replied, then returned to the cockpit. She sat down in the chair next to Chewie, who acknowledged her with a grunt. She was starting to understand more and more of the Wookiee's dialect. A few seconds later, he roared lightly.

"Yeah, I know big guy. This planet doesn't feel right." That was a bit of an understatement. It felt flat-out _wrong._ The closest thing she could describe the feeling as was being fully submerged in an ice-frozen lake. She tried her best to conceal the feelings, but they still continued to wash over her unabated. Rey punched in a few buttons on the Falcon's dash. A few seconds later, the voice of General Leia Organa filled the cockpit.

"General Organa speaking" Leia said tentatively.

"It's the _Falcon_. We are approaching Mustafar, General" Rey responded. Warmth filled Leia voice. "Good. Is Luke alright?"

Rey paused, and opened her mouth to speak, but Luke's voice cut her off: "I'm fine, sister. Just meditating." Rey spun around in her chair to see the wizened Jedi Master standing in the doorway.

"Great. I hope you both have a safe trip. Contact me when you find the droids." Turning back around, Rey leaned in close to the dash and whispered. "Are you sure there will be droids? The scanners aren't picking up any cities. And this is just a rumor, correct?"

Leia sighed. "Yes, this is just a rumor. But this rumor was brought to us by a good family friend who usually isn't wrong. Of course, his intel could be off and I would have to slap him, but he's right about things most of the time." Rey nodded in a small relief.

"Thank you General. May the Force be with you" she said.

"And with you too, Rey." The communicator clicked off. Rey turned the chair back around to face Luke.

"Now what?" she asked him. He stoked his beard for a moment.

"We should search where the Force is strongest first." After a moment of meditation, Rey spoke up. "The far side of the planet. I saw a series of buildings, like they were forgotten. Abandoned."

"Then take us there" Luke said. The _Falcon_ dipped, then continued speeding towards the fiery planet.

* * *

From the bridge of the _Finalizer_ , Kylo Ren, Knight of Ren, listened to General Leia Organa and the scavenger finish their conversation. Ren turned to the communications officer who had traced the message to the Mustafar system.

"Is there more?" he rasped through the mask. Since the destruction of Starkiller Base, he felt himself relying more and more on his mask and suit. In some small part of his mind, he wondered if Vader had felt the same way.

"No, my Lord. Our technicians are determining where General Organa recieved the message. Her location was incrypted, so it will take some time" he spoke, Adam's apple nevously bobbing up and down. He had heard of the Knight's legendary temper, and decided that the next time he was on shore leave, he was jumping ship faster than one could say "manaical dictatorship."

"Excellent. Contact Captain Phasma and notify her to prepare her best squad." He turned to the pilots. "Set your course for the Mustafar system." Choruses of "Yes, sir!" and "Right away, sir!" echoed through the bridge. A few seconds later, the black of space melded into the blue of hyperspace, and the _Finalizer_ disappeared from its orbit above Vjun. Ren strode to the turbolift, but not before turning his head and addressing the communications officer.

"If you as so much think about desertion one more time, I will personally behead you in front of the Supreme Leader himself." He fingered his lightsaber, making a show of it. "Do I make myself clear, Officer?"

The communications officer swallowed again, visibly sweating. Ren smirked at the man's fear. "Crystal" he responded.

"Good" Ren purred viciously, and stepped into the turbolift, heading for his private quarters. He needed the comfort of his grandfather's mask after dealing with these insolent lackeys. The turbolift swallowed him whole, and plunged him farther into the belly of the Star Destroyer.

* * *

Rey thought she knew scorching heat from all her time on Jakku. But the dry desert heat was nothing compared to the heat of Mustafar. It was a wet, suffocating heat, one that threated to clog her pores and kill her without any show of mercy. Silently, she wished Finn and Poe were here with her. Her friends always comforted her, and she hadn't seen them in a week, ever since she and Luke had left their new base on Naboo. She clutched at her survival suit and shuddered. Force, this place _was_ dark. The Falcon had touched down near a lava bank, about two clicks away from their destination.

She heard footsteps behind her. Rey turned around to see Luke and Chewie strolling down the Falcon's boarding ramp.

"Chewie, stay with the ship" Luke said. Chewbacca began to roar in protest, but Luke raised his hands. "We won't be here long. We'll need a quick exit as well." The Wookiee closed his mouth and sauntered back up the ramp, mumbling to himself. Luke turned to Rey. "Lead the way, my apprentice." She nodded, and the two Jedi began to make their way towards the abandoned city.


	2. Dark Deeds of the Past

**II**

 **Dark Deeds of the Past**

Kylo Ren sat in his quarters, hovering over the warped mask of his grandfather, Darth Vader. He closed his eyes and started whispering his daily words.

"Grandfather, help me cast out the light. Help me welcome the darkness and make me strong. The scavenger girl... help me kill her and Skywalker. If you are there, Grandfather, give me a sign." As usual, there was no response to his pleas. Just the burnt-out eyes of the mask staring directly into him. He thought that the gaze was always judging him, that it could see through his soul and determine his character. Kylo thought that today, the mask disapproved of him. Therefore, he resolved to work extra hard to murder the scavenger and Skywalker.

A chill passed through the room. Kylo glanced over his shoulder, then turned around abruptly. There stood a man, entirely cloaked in blue. His long hair cascaded down his shoulders, and a look of disapproval was plastered on his face. It took Kylo a moment to realize that the man was not actually there. He was a ghost.

"Who are you?" Kylo asked. The ghost shook his head and spoke.

"You do not recognize me? I am the man you pray to every day. The Jedi Knight corrupted by the very thing he sought to destroy. The monster who tore the galaxy apart. The savior who was redeemed by a son's love. I am Anakin Skywalker, and I have a problem with you, Ben Solo." The man crossed his arms.

A few seconds passed before Kylo spoke up: "Grandfather?"

Anakin continued talking. "Your 'Master' is playing you, Ben. To him, you are a tool. Should you become blunt and dull, he will cast you aside and replace you."

"No" Kylo said. "My Master would do no such thing. I am valuable to him. Useful." And yet, in some part of his mind, he agreed with that statement.

Anakin only shook his head. "Fool. It has been the way of the dark as long as it has existed. Palpatine did it to me. I do not doubt Snoke would either."

It took whatever little self-control Kylo had not to fly into a rage. He clenched his teeth together. " _Shut. Up._ "

Anakin extended his arm. "Come back to the light, grandson. I can feel your conflict. Let go of your hate. Return to your mother, she misses you dearly.

"I have no mother or father." Kylo said. Anakin looked down at the floor.

"Then you are truly lost. There is no more I can do for you. Goodbye, Ben. May the Force be with you." Anakin started to fade away. On a whim, Kylo reached his hand out towards him.

"Wait! Were you truly Darth Vader?" he asked. Anakin vanished from the room, but Kylo could clearly hear his grandfather's voice echo.

"Yes, but Vader is dead now. Only I remain." And with that, the room fell silent. The only sound was Kylo's breathing. His comlink chirped, breaking the silence. He yanked it off his belt and clicked it on. "What it is?"

"My Lord" Captain Hano, the _Finalizer_ 's head of command, spoke. "We are now orbiting the planet. Our scanners are picking up a lone ship. It's identified as a YT-class-"

"Corellian Cruiser. I am familiar with the ship, _Captain._ " He spat the last word, sensing the officer's fear. "What is the status of Captain Phasma?"

"My Lord, Captain Phasma is ready with her troops and awaits your command."

"Place her squadron on my command shuttle. I will arrive shortly." Kylo snapped the comlink off and replaced it on his belt. Leaving Vader's mask behind, he strode out of his chambers and back into the turbolift. Nothing would stop him. Not today.

* * *

It felt to Rey that they had been trudging over rocks and avoiding lava beds forever. Just then, she stopped, Luke right behind her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I feel... something ahead. Something... dark. Ahead in the city." she replied, feeling a sense of dread wash over her.

"Go on ahead" Luke said, sitting down on a boulder. Rey turned around.

"What about you, sir?"

"I am an old man. My days of adventuring are far behind me. Go on. Let me catch my breath, and I will meet up with you in a few minutes. Until then, may the Force be with you."

Rey nodded. "And with you too, sir." She trudged on ahead to the top of the hill. She stood on top of some sort of metal floor. Rey looked down at Luke upon his boulder, then continued on. With every passing step, the coldness of the Dark Side grew stronger and stronger until she thought she would vomit. Rey approached a strange-looking door of some kind. Using the Force, she pried it open and stepped inside.

It led her into a wide spacious room with computer consoles on every wall. Two large holoprojector tables rested in the middle. To Rey, it looked like a command center that hadn't been used by somebody in ages. As she stepped into the center of the room, a powerful ripple in the Force caused her to bend over and just about throw up her meager lunch.

When she looked back up, several different creatures of exotic races were standing around, garbed in ornate clothing. She had never seen much variation of races before, not all together in one place. One skittered her way on wings. Rey reached out to touch him, only to see her hand pass through him. Off in the opposite corner, a black-robed man entered the room. Whatever conversation the creatures were in immediately ceased. One of them, a green-skinned humanoid in a red smock, turned towards the black-robed man and spoke:

"Welcome, Lord Vader. We've been expecting you."

 _Vader. Vader._ _Where had she heard that name before?_ Rey desperately racked her brain trying to remember where the name Vader had come from. The black-robed man waved his hand and Rey heard the door slam close. With a chill, she remembered who had mentioned the name Vader.

It had been Kylo Ren.

The black-robed man activated his lightsaber, and with a dawning horror, Rey realized that it was her lightsaber, the one Maz had given to her. In a flash, the man jumped over the holoprojectors and began cutting down anybody standing in his path. Rey caught a glimspe of the man's face and saw that he was crying. A few short seconds later, the humanoid who had spoken first was the last one standing. He cowered in fear as the black-robed man strode over to him.

"Lord Sidious... promised us peace... He promised-" The humanoid never finished his sentence. The black-robed man beheaded him with a single stroke of the lightsaber. His head flew across the room and landed at Rey's feet, its dead, red eyes staring into hers. The black-robed man looked directly at her and Rey saw that his eyes were a fiery gold color. She had never seen so much hatred in a person's eyes, not even Kylo Ren's. Rey backed up and bumped into something warm and solid. She raised her hand to her mouth and bit down on it to stifle a scream. Turning around, she saw Luke standing behind her. He waved his hand. The bodies and the black-robed man dissipated into the air like a mist.

She looked up at him, eyes wide. "What... what..." she repeated over and over again, mouth like a broken holorecording. Luke sighed as he stepped into the middle of the room.

"What you just saw was the massacre of the Separatist leaders, an event that marked the end of the Clone Wars, and the total fall of Darth Vader." Luke said, as though he were reading from a history textbook. Rey noticed that he said the name Vader with some amount of affection.

"Who is Darth Vader?" she asked. He cringed slightly.

"He was... my father, Anakin Skywalker. A Dark Lord of the Sith, Sidious, played on my father's fears of losing his wife. Sidious led my father into believing that if he turned to the Dark Side, he could save my mother."

Luke sighed. "It didn't work out like that. In a rage, he killed my mother, on this very planet. After battling my Master, he was mortally wounded and required a life-support suit. I believe Kylo Ren has his mask. Years later, after terrorizing the galaxy as Sidious' right hand man, he was redeemed by his son, the last Jedi, and died an honorable death."

Rey shook her head in disbelief. "And how do you know this?" Luke smiled slightly.

"I asked him."

Just then, another tremor in the Force caused Rey to once again double over and nearly vomit. She wiped her lips and recovered herself.

"What is it?" Luke asked, concern written on his face.

" _He's_ here. I can feel Kylo Ren's presence close to us."

"We must make haste then, and find this battalion of droids before they do" Luke responded. Rey strode over to one of the consoles and began dusting it off.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked.

"If these Separatists owned the droids, perhaps they left some clue on their whereabouts in these computers" she said, tapping several keys. After sifting through some text (which was incredibly hard to read), she found that an elevator on the far side of the complex led to a restricted area. The computer could give no more information on that particular area, and demanded for an access code. She turned it off and directed Luke to the door from which they came.

"This way!" she said, and the two Jedi left, heading for their objective.


	3. A Grievous Error

**III**

 **A Grievous Error**

The Finalizer's main hanger bay was dominated a numerous amount of TIE fighter, several troop transports, and Kylo Ren's command shuttle, _Vader's Breath._ Captain Phasma watched as Kylo Ren strode down the hangar at a rapid pace. Phasma noticed that menace seemed to permeate Ren's every step more so than usual. She wondered if it had something to do with the scavenger girl. She shrugged off the thought of it, and snapped to attention as Ren passed by her and her two rows of troops. He stopped, stared at her, then boarded the shuttle. Phasma made a quick downward chop with her left hand. The troopers standing at attention spun on their heels, broke into their assigned squads, and filed into their smaller transports. Phasma entered the command shuttle, feeling the closing ramp nip at her cape. She took her assigned spot in the cockpit, and watched the two flight captains prepare for takeoff.

" _Vader's Breath_ to _Finalizer_ , permission to takeoff?" the first captain, a female by the last name of Oro, asked the bridge as she activated the deflector shield.

" _Finalizer_ to _Vader's Breath_ , permission granted" Captain Hano responded. "You have clearance, Elena. Be safe." Phasma frowned. Such pleasantries and familiarity would be dealt with. She knew that Hano had a thing for Captain Oro, and that Kylo would be displeased with it. A flaw in the war machine soon to be stamped out. She tapped a few buttons on her wrist gauntlet, and prepared to speak to the squadrons.

"All teams. Today our mission is to investigate a ruined Separatist mining complex and secure a cache of unactivated CIS battle droids. Two Jedi have made contact on the planet. If any man should encouter them, you have orders to terminate them with extreme prejudice. Be warned. The Jedi are armed, hostile and incredibly dangerous. Proceed with caution. Win today, men. Win it for the First Order." She signed off as Kylo Ren strode into the cockpit alongside her.

The lava planet loomed close. Captain Oro turned slightly to face her superiors. "Sirs, with all due respect, I recommend sitting down. Breaking the atmosphere will be turbulent." The pair continued to stand, gazing out the viewport.

* * *

Rey and Luke made their way across the complex towards the turbolift. Rey almost tripped on Luke's cloak in their haste. Before long, they had arrived at the elevator. Luke pressed the call button. The door silently slid open.

"After you" he said, gesturing to the open lift.

"Thank you" she said, stepping inside. Luke followed after her, joining in alongside her. She pressed the down button in the lift, and the door slid shut. For a second, nothing happened. Rey pressed the down button again. Still, nothing happened.

"I think it's broken" she said. Luke sighed.

"It can't be broken. The door just worked for us."

"Great. We're stuck."

"We're not stuck. The machine's old. Just give it some time and I think it will figure itself out-"

 _ **WHOOOSH**_

Both Jedi careened into each other as the elevator descended like a shot. Rey tried to regain her footing in the tiny lift, but just stepped on Luke's foot instead. She howled in pain as Luke's metal hand flailed around and smacked her across the face. At this point, both Jedi were a mess of wailing, flailing, and pure pain as the lift continued to descend rapidly.

 **SHOOOUUUMMP**

Almost as fast as it had started, the turbolift stopped. Gravity forced Rey to hit her head on the turbolift's roof, sending a searing flash of pain through her skull. She collapsed to the lift's floor, beaten and battered. The door silently slid open, revealing pitch black darkness. Luke stood up, brushed his survival suit off, and stepped out of the elevator.

"One heck of a ride" he mumbled. "Padawan! Are you coming?" Rey murmured something incoherent and flashed him a small thumbs-up.

"Mm mokay."

"Alright then! Let's get a move on." Rey jerkily got up and staggered out of the lift. The door closed behind her.

"Now... where do you think we are?" Luke asked Rey as she stopped at his side.

"No clue, Sir."

"Perhaps a little light would help us." Luke sensed a power source eminating from his left. He imagined the switch flipping in his mind. Suddenly, the overhead lights began to sputter to life, casting a sickish yellow glow in the room. Rey gasped at the sight. Directly in front of them silently stood row after endless row of battle droids. AATs, crates, and other small Separatist vehicles lined the outer walls of the warehouse. Overlooking the room was a glass booth in the upper levels. Luke's jaw dropped.

"Well, then... I consider this a mission accomplished. Let's head back up to the surface, and contact Leia. Surely this will please her."

"Wait!" Rey cried out as the Force rippled. "It's Kylo Ren. His shuttle is landing. I can feel it."

A look of concern crossed Luke's face. "That's not good."

Rey thought hard for a moment, surveying the battle droids. "I have an idea. Come on!" she said, and pulled Luke towards the control booth.

* * *

A rush of fiery air greeted Kylo Ren as he descended the ramp of his command shuttle. Captain Phasma followed behind him tenatively. About fifteen paces on the landing ramp, he stopped suddenly, and fell to one knee as a multitude of voices screamed within his head.

 _"You were the Chosen One!_

 _"I HATE YOU!"_

 _"No, stop now! Come back!_

 _"You will not take her from me!"_

 _"My allegiance is the Republic, TO DEMOCRACY!"_

From behind, he sensed Phasma rush to his aid. "My lord. Are you alright?" she asked, offering a hand.

"I am... fine" he said, as the voices subsided slowly. He took her hand and regained his footing. "The Dark Side... is strong here. It fuels me." Phasma kept her mouth shut, knowing little to nothing of the Force.

"We should get going" she said. Kylo nodded and took the lead. The two squads of stormtroopers formed up from their transports. Phasma raised a hand in the air, and closed in her fist, then turned towards the complex, and chopped the air. The squads moved past Phasma and into the complex. She followed them inside. The room they entered was a control room, with databanks lining the walls. The spacious room was broken up by two holoprojecters sitting in the middle of it. Phasma looked out one of the windows and watched as a volcano erupted far off in the distance.

"Sir" one of the troopers said. She recognized him as FN-1313, an efficient trooper gifted with technology. "The information on databanks point towards a turbolift on the far side of the complex. It may lead to the battalion."

"Very good, FN-1313. Squads, to the turbolift! Stay frosty." The stormtroopers sprinted out of the room. Kylo and Phasma followed. The stormtroopers came to a halt, turned on their heels, and formed two lines. Kylo and Phasma strode to the door. Kylo pressed the call button. The door silently slid open. Phasma pointed to FN-1313 and four other troopers. "Come with us." She turned to the other troopers. "Guard the entrance to the turbolift. Watch for the Jedi. Don't let them catch you off-guard.

They filed into the turbolift. Phasma pressed the down button, and the door silently slid shut. For a second, nothing happened. Phasma pressed the down button again. Still nothing happened.

"FN-1313. Come fix this turbolift. Quickly."

"Yes, sir" the trooper replied, and slowly wedged his way to the front. He opened the control panel and found two ends of a disconnected red wire. He pushed the two wire ends together.

 _ **WHOOOSH**_

Everybody in the lift went airborne and crashed into one another. Blasters were dropped, armor smashed together, and the initial airtime faded away as all the First Order members fell to the lift floor. Phasma tried to wriggle her way from underneath the heavy trooper that fell on top of her.

 _ **SHOOOUUUMMP**_

Gravity took hold once more as everybody flew into the air, and was subsequently smashed into the ground. Phasma knew that there was going to be some nice, pretty bruises the next morning. Groans echoed throughout the entire lift. Kylo was the first on his feet, dragging FN-1313 outside into the darkness with him.

"You are going to pay for that" he rasped, and activated his lightsaber. Before he could do anything, the darkness gave away to a sickly yellow color as the overhead lights came on. An activated battle droid stared at Kylo straight in the face. Both parties stood unmoving, unbelieving.

The droid reacted first. "Clones! Get them!" he shouted to his brethren. Almost instantly, every droid in the room turned and drew its weapon.

"Kark" Phasma cursed. It was a trap! She dove behind a stack of crates as the droids opened fire. Kylo dropped FN-1313 to the ground and began deflecting blasterfire with his lightsaber. FN-1313 crawled to Phasma's location and drew his sidearm. The other four stormtroopers were cut down by the rain of blasterfire. Phasma saw the situation as pretty bleak. But that did not matter. She was going to blast down every damn droid in the room, then strangle the Jedi with her own bare hands. Instinct took over as Phasma began firing back.

From inside the control booth, Luke pulled out his comlink. "Chewie! Prep the _Falcon!_ We're coming in hot!"


	4. Hot Pursuit

**I want to thank everybody for the enormous amount of support. Thank you so much for liking my stuff! (And yes, Finn, Poe, plus the rest of the gang will be showing up sometime soon.) Reviews are very much appreciated. Now, back to the adventure!**

* * *

 **IV**

 **Hot Pursuit**

The two Jedi rushed out of the control booth, down a flight of steps, and along the warehouse's wall. Out of the corner of her eye, Rey saw _him_ deflecting blaster bolts and cutting down droids. A Super Battle Droid cocked his wrist and launched a missile at Kylo. The explosion sent him tumbling to the floor. He thrust his free hand into the air, and Rey saw the lights come crashing down upon it. Three rolling wheels made their way to the front of the pack. Rey watched as they unfolded into a type of three-legged droid that began firing at the First Order troops. Kylo did an athletic roll and ended up behind another stack of crates. She saw this as her opportunity. The two Jedi sprinted past Kylo, Phasma, and FN-1313. Kylo realized what was happening and sprinted from behind the crates, giving chase.

A blaster bolt clipped Kylo in the side, and he went down on the floor. He thrust both hands out in front of him, knocking all of the droids off their feet. FN-1313 took this time to run towards the stairs leading to the control booth. Phasma ran from her stack of crates, and scooped up Kylo's lightsaber. The two Jedi made it inside the turbolift. Rey smashed the up button on the lift, shutting the door in front of Phasma's face. The two Jedi sighed, then quickly flattened themselves against the back wall as a beam of red energy shot through the door. It rounded one corner, went across the top of the door, then down a corner, then across the bottom, then up-

 _ **WHOOOSH**_

The lift kicked in, sending the two Jedi and fallen stormtroopers rocketing into the air. Rey and Luke regained their footing as the white-armored men cascaded into the floor. Rey picked up one of their blasters and examined it. It was an interesting piece of work, capable of firing thirty shots a pack. She wondered if she could work on this during the flight back to Naboo. Luke was thinking about how to tell Leia what happened. She would be upset, yes, but understanding of the whole situation-

 _ **SHOOOUUUMMP**_

The lift stopped suddenly once more. Rey fumbled and dropped the blaster. The now-scorched door slid open, revealing quite a large group of stormtroopers standing outside. They glanced at the two figures in the lift, then at their fallen comrades. In the blink of an eye, their blasters were leveled at the two Jedi. Rey and Luke turned their head towards each other and nodded. At the same time, they outstretched their arms. The crowd of stormtroopers went flying off their feet. Some of them fell off the sides of the complex into the lava river below. Luke and Rey sprinted through the complex towards the landing pad. Blaster fire from the remaining stormtroopers rained all around them. The two Jedi made it to the landing pad. Rey spied Kylo Ren's shuttle and got an idea. She yanked out her comlink and dialed Chewbacca. He picked up with a disgruntled roar.

"Chewie! New plan! Take off without us!" He responded with a flurry of roars. "No, don't wait! Just go! We'll meet you back at base!" she yelled, and holstered the comlink. She grabbed Luke's sleeve and sprinted up the boarding ramp, dragging the Jedi Master behind her. They made to the cockpit where two officers sat. Luke's lightsaber sprung out green, Rey's sprung out blue, and caught both of the officers at the throat. The icy sensation of darkness flooded over her, and it took almost all her willpower not to scream and lop somebody's head off.

"Take off!" Luke said in his best menacing voice that he could muster at the moment. The officers stood their ground, even with lightsabers at their throats.

"Take off now, or we will kill you!" Rey yelled, catching Luke off guard. Where had that anger come from? The officers looked at each other, then back at the Jedi.

"We would die before aiding you, Jedi scum" one of the officers, a woman, replied.

"So be it" Rey said. She deactivated her lightsaber, and smashed the hilt into the woman's temple. She collasped in her seat. Luke deactivated his lightsaber, switched the weapon into his left hand, and threw a right hook at the other officers' head. He went down like a sack of Corellian potatoes. The two Jedi looked at one another and back at the unconscious captains.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Rey asked.

"I can read your thoughts and I think what you're thinking is a very bad idea." Luke folded his arms over each other.

"It's better than facing down _him_ and a squadron of stormtroopers" she said, roughly yanking the female officer out of her seat and laying her on the floor. She seemed to be Rey's build, but just a little short. No matter. Rey could deal with tight-fitting boots. She stripped off her survival suit and quickly put on the officer's uniform. The rough, starchy material itched, but she ignored it. She turned around to face Luke, but he had already disappeared into the back of the shuttle with the other captain. She sat down at the shuttle and did an overview of the controls. The controls were for a standard-type shuttle. Of course, the First Order mechanics and technicians had done their best to made it look all evil and menacing. She sighed. _He_ tried so hard to be dark and brooding...

Her attention turned to Luke, who had strode back into the cockpit wearing the male officer's uniform. He sat down next to Rey.

"I think it best that we leave. _Now_ " Luke said, gesturing out the viewport. Glancing out, he saw _him,_ the chrone stormtrooper, and the remains of the squadron emerge from the ruined complex. She pressed a few buttons on the console and took control. The ship sprung to life as the squadron began to fire on it. Rey tapped a few more buttons and grabbed the flight stick. She eased the shuttle off the landing pad and into the volcanic skies.

"Now what?" she asked Luke.

"Well, we have to get pass the Star Destroyer, then make the jump back home" he replied.

"Great. Hopefully they won't notice the difference" she said. Suddenly, the comlink crackled to life on the dashboard as the Star Destroyer radioed in.

" _Finalizer_ to _Vader's Breath_ , report!" Luke supressed a sigh and responded. " _Vader's Breath_ to _Finalizer_ , situation is OK. Everything's fine. We're all fine. How about you?"

Rey heard suspicion creep into the man's voice. "Who are you? What are the sector codes for this area?" Rey and Luke looked at each other. Blast.

A rough-sounding female's voice crackled on the channel. " _Finalizer_ , this is Captain Phasma. That shuttle is being commandeered by enemy forces. You have permission to open fire!"

 _Kark_ Rey thought.

Green blasts streaked by the viewport as the _Finalizer_ began firing at the command shuttle. The shuttle rocked suddenly, causing a klaxon to sound.

"The deflector shields aren't strong enough to withstand blasts of that magnitude" Rey reported. "Another hit like that and we're toast!"

"Alright. I'm prepping the jump to lightspeed. Evade them as much as you can" Luke said, coolly pressing buttons on the control panel. Rey shifted the flight stick sharply to the right, nearly tilting the shuttle on its side. The unconscious officer in the back slid around limply.

The shuttle continued to weave in and out of the _Finalizer_ 's turbolaser fire. Just when Rey thought that they were goners, Luke stopped tapping the console and punched a button. The black streaked into blue, and the shuttle entered hyperspace. Rey and Luke both breathed sighs of relief.

"Well, that was... enough excitement for one day" Luke said. He stood up from the co-pilot's seat. "I'm going to meditate. Will you be okay without me?"

"Yes" she replied. "But what about her?" She cocked a thumb at the unconscious officer.

"You're resourceful. You can figure it out." And with that, Luke strode from the cockpit.

Rey placed the shuttle on auto-pilot and stepped out of the chair. She noticed two chairs located on either side of the cockpit's entrance. She grabbed the female officer and dragged her over to the chair. After rummanging around in the back, she found a large roll of space tape. She grinned slightly, and began taping the officer to the chair. The other officer was nowhere in sight. After firmly securing the officer to the chair (and placing a large strip over her mouth for good measure) Rey stepped back to admire her handiwork. The redheaded, green-eyed officer sat slumped over in the passenger chair, still unconscious. The officer was dressed only in her underclothes, which outlined her curvy body. Rey thought that she was kinda cute. Like a sleeping nexu...

She walked into the back where Luke was meditating. "Where did the other guy go?" she asked. He did not move, but responded just the same.

"He's back on the landing pad. I rolled him down the ramp." Rey rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Her Master did not respond. She strolled back into the cockpit, sat down, and attempted to meditate herself. The only thing she could picture in her mind's eye was _him,_ standing there, lightsaber raised to strike a killing blow.


	5. Home Again

**V**

 **Home Again**

Kylo Ren strode through the halls of the _Finalizer,_ a walking time bomb of anger. Firstly, his shuttle was taken by those cursed Jedi. He seethed at the thought of them using his personal vehicle to do whatever those kriffing Jedi did. Secondly, the ride back up the _Finalizer_ was embarrassing enough, having to stand with all of the low-brow troopers in a cramped little transport. Thank the Force Phasma had endure the ride with him, or he might have died from the shame. And finally, Supreme Leader wanted a report regarding the mission to Mustafar. He grimaced at the thought of reporting a failure. The berating he had received after the destruction of Starkiller Base had been absolutely horrible. He thought about putting the report off, but decided against it. It was best to get it over with.

He walked into the hologram chamber to find a very unwelcome surprise awaiting him. General Hux's red hair shone brightly underneath the lights. He eyed Kylo with a vicious kind of triumph before tapping a few buttons on the holoprojector. The lights dimmed as Supreme Leader Snoke appeared, sitting in his chair, scarred face masked by the darkness.

"My apprentice" his raspy voice echoed. "I sense much confusion within you. What is troubling you?" Kylo opened his mouth to speak, but Hux beat him to the punch.

"The Jedi beat him, along with his troops. They used the battalion of droids against him and Phasma's best men. She gave me the report." He glowered at Kylo once more. "They stole his personal shuttle as well."

Kylo could feel the Supreme Leader's eyes gaze down upon him. "And why didn't you stop them?" Snoke's voice dripped with sweet venom.

"I... tried to, Master, but-"

"Tried to?" Snoke roared. He leaned forward in his chair. "Tried to?! There is no such thing as try! You have let the light cloud your mind, impair your judgement! I feel you slipping away from the darkness. This cannot be. You have failed me once again, my foolish apprentice. Leave my presence before you force me to unleash my wrath!" Kylo stiffly bowed, them stormed out of the hologram chamber, fingering the activation switch on his lightsaber. He needed something to break, to hurt, before he exploded.

Hux watched the Knight of Ren depart with curiousity. Snoke slumped back in his chair and placed his hands on his temples, massaging them. After a moment, he turned his attention to Hux. "How goes our project, General?"

Hux cleared his throat. "The project is proceeding as planned. Our friends at Kuat Drive Yards have met your specifications to the letter. You will not be disappointed by it, I promise you that, Supreme Leader."

"I hope so, General. Do not fail me as my apprentice has. If so, you shall experience the full, painful power of the darkness." Hux nodded. The hologram of Supreme Leader Snoke vanished, leaving Hux alone in the darkness. From down the hall, he heard the screeching sounds of metal being sliced in half. He sighed and left the chamber to deal with the enraged Knight of Ren.

* * *

Blinding pain was the first thing Elena felt, as though a Kowakian lizard-monkey had taken a hammer to her skull. She blinked as dim light filled her eyes. She tried to stand up, only to feel some sort of... mesh restraining her? As her vision adjusted, she saw a gratuitous amount of space tape wrapping around her. She screamed loudly, only to find out that some kriff-bag had taped her mouth shut. She noticed that she was in her underclothes. She tried to move her legs and kick out, but the tape held her soundly in place. The memories came flooding back. The lava planet, the two Jedi, especially the female, her angry face and the blur of silver the last thing Elena could remember.

In the distance, she saw a bright blue light and a figure sitting in her spot, wearing her clothes. She screamed once more. This time, the figure turned around, and Elena recognized her as the woman that had knocked her unconscious. The woman stood up from the pilot's seat and moved towards her. Elena tried to kick again, but the tape still held. The woman bent down over Elena.

"You're awake. We'll be reaching our destination shortly. Just... sit back and relax." The woman squatted down in front of her. "We could chat, if you were nice. Are you going to be nice?" The woman looked at her with big brown eyes, and something about them caused Elena to... slow down a little bit. Relax, just as the woman had said.

"Are you ready?" the woman asked. Elena slowly shook her head yes. The woman violently ripped the space tape off her mouth. Instantly, the relaxed feeling disappeared.

"I'm gonna kill you, Jedi scum. I'm gonna find your karking little Resistance base and burn it down to the ground. I'm gonna-" Her words drew the attention of Luke in the back, meditating. He arose from his cross-legged pose and entered the cockpit. Elena stopped talking as soon as the man entered the room.

"I see our guest is awake. Why did you remove the tape?" The woman shrugged.

"I thought maybe her and I could sit down and have a nice, friendly chat or something. Obviously, that's not been working out."

"Move over. Let me do the talking." The old man, wearing Gart's uniform, took the woman's spot in front of Elena.

"Who are you?" he asked in an incredibly soothing voice.

"Go... to... hell" she responded, emphasizing every syllable. The old man shook his head.

"Put the tape back on, Padawan" he said. The woman brought the tape back up to Elena's mouth. Some instinct within her cried out, and she shook her head violently.

"If we can have a nice talk, I won't put this back on" the woman said. Elena stared straight ahead and stopped struggling. The woman lowered the tape from Elena's mouth.

"Are we good now?" the man asked. Elena nodded. "Back to my question: Who are you?"

Elena took a deep breath and found that the words kept tumbling out of her mouth. "My name is Flight Officer Elena Oro. I fly this shuttle on missions with Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma. Might I ask where Gart is?" she finished. The two Jedi looked at each other. Finally, the man responded.

"He,um... fell down the boarding ramp during the... acquisition of this shuttle" he explained. Elena looked at them with wide eyes.

"Really? Tell me, how hard is it to fall down a boarding ramp?" The man shrugged his shoulders a little bit. "I do not believe that we have introduced ourselves. I am Luke Skywalker, and this is my apprentice, Rey." The woman gave her a small wave. Elena blinked. This was the great Luke Skywalker? The last Jedi? She shook her head. Unbelievable. Her shift to fly the shuttle...

Instead of focusing on that. she decided to focus on the more important questions at hand. "Where are we going?"

"To our 'karking little Resistance base' that you so want to burn down" the woman, Rey, said. Luke shot her a glance.

"Language" he said. Rey nodded.

"I was just quoting her" Rey responded. She went back to the controls while Luke headed to the back to rummage around for something. He returned with a pair of stun cuffs in hand.

"I'll get this off of you. Besides, it won't look official or proper if I drag you to the Resistance covered in space tape. Hold still, please." He activated his lightsaber and gently cut down the middle of the tape mound. It fell away with a flutter. Elena felt that her skin could finally breathe after being suffocated for so long.

"Hold out your hands, please" he said. Begrudingly she did so. Luke snapped the stun cuffs around her wrists. "There. That looks better." He turned to Rey. "Did you know that there was some stun cuffs in the back that you could've used?"

"No" she responded. "I didn't see any, so I just, uh, 'figured it out' and used the tape." A light on the dashboard began to flash rapidly. "Hold on. We're coming out of hyperspace." The blue melded into black, and the planet of Naboo came into sight. The shuttle began descending towards the planet.

* * *

General Leia Organa thought this day couldn't get any worse. It had been several hours since Luke and Rey had last contacted her, and though not known for her fretting, Leia began to worry that something bad had happened to them. Especially Luke. She paced the length of the Theed Palace hanger, awaiting any contact with the _Falcon._ The hanger was lined with X-wings and other ships that the Resistance had been able to procure over the last year. Even without the backing of the Republic, they had managed to come through thanks to their old family friend, Lando. It seemed where one man would find a credit on the street, Lando could find five. He had been a lifesaver, hooking them up with old Separatist war funds from Muunilinst. Thank the Force the whole galaxy had not descended in anarchy when the Hosnian System had been destroyed. Now, it was simply picking up the pieces again and putting them back together.

Leia was so lost in her thoughts, it took several hard taps from C-3P0 to get her attention. "Excuse me General, but the _Millennium Falcon_ has been sighed. We're attempting to contact them now. Oh, what great news!" Leia smiled, and headed towards the communications station, where several technicians stood around a table, chattering. Currently, it was Finn who had the headset and was talking to the _Falcon_. Poe Dameron was leaning himself against a console, grim-faced. Leia's mood instantly darkened when she saw the look on Finn's face.

"It's Chewie. He says Rey and Luke never made it back to the ship." All of Leia's worries came flooding back instantly.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Positive. He's been roaring non-stop about it for the past two minutes." At that moment, a technician received a new message at his post.

"General! You're not gonna believe this" he said. "A First Order shuttle is attempting to make contact with us!" The temperature of the room dropped several degrees at the mention of the junta.

"Patch them through" she said. Everyone stared at her in disbelief. "Patch them through!" she said again, with a little bit more force. The technicians worked frantically, and Finn said goodbye to Chewie. A garbled transmission came through.

"Theed Palace, this is Com* _hzkt_ *er Sky* _blizz*_ ker. We ha _*grzlzlrd*_ turned. We are _*hizzlhd*_ landing."

"First Order shuttle, say again" Leia said. The static disappeared from the transmission, and Leia heard a familiar voice that relieved her.

"This is Rey. Master Skywalker and I have... borrowed Kylo Ren's shuttle for the time being. Permission to land?"

"Yes, Rey. Permission to land." Leia said. The entire group of Resistance members sighed and wiped their brows. Leia, Finn, and Poe walked to the hangar entrance to welcome home the heroes.


	6. A New Plan

**VI**

 **A New Plan**

About fifteen minutes later, the Falcon touched down inside the hangar. Chewbacca and BB-8 walked (or rolled) down the boarding ramp to applause and celebration. They all received hugs and decided to wait in the hanger for the two Jedi to arrive. Not ten minutes later, Leia spotted the command shuttle off in the distance. She felt Luke's presence in the Force and slightly smiled. The shuttle touched down next to the Falcon, after Rey tried some fancy parking moves to get the ship to fit inside the hanger. The shuttle's boarding ramp descended with a hiss of steam as Luke and Rey stepped down the ramp... dressed in officer clothes? And where did the woman come from?

Luke sensed his sister's confusion and only nodded towards her. He called over a few armed soldiers to take the prisoner away. Leia, Finn, and Poe stepped forward to pass around hugs, kisses, and back slaps. BB-8 rubbed against Rey's leg lovingly, chirping happily. Luke looked at Leia. "We need to talk about a few things. But first, can we get changed?" Leia nodded.

"So what happened? And how in the blazes did you get Kylo Ren's shuttle?" Poe asked, confusion plastered all over his face. Rey grinned slightly.

"We... borrowed it. Change of plans" she said. Over the sea of well-wishers, she saw Luke gesture towards her. "I gotta go. But I'll tell you everything later." She broke away from her friends to follow Luke and Leia into a small, secluded antechamber.

"How did the mission go?" Leia asked. Luke smiled softly.

"Interestingly. Some... slight complications involving my nephew and his soldiers arose." Leia frowned.

"I didn't think Snoke knew about it. We must be more vigilant in keeping information contained." She turned her attention back to the mission's details. "What about the droids?"

Rey spoke up: "Well, we couldn't get them contained. The First Order ruined that piece of it. However, we turned the droids against them when they cornered us." Leia nodded. "My guess is that they're scrap now."

"And who is the guest that you have brought home with you?" Leia asked.

"Her name is Elena Oro. She was one of the shuttle's pilots that we knocked unconsious" Rey said.

"What happened to the other pilot?"

"He fell down the ramp."

"Oh. I see." She turned to Luke. "Do you think our guest may have some information regarding where she has flown?" Luke shrugged.

"Possibly. In the meantime, I think we should have somebody take a look at the flight transponder. See where it's been. Perhaps we could learn something" he said.

"In any instance, well done. You may not have completed the objective, but you two did well in any case." Leia outstretched her hands. "We should return. People are probably wondering where we are." The three walked out of the antechamber. Luke and Leia headed towards the makeshift detention block that had been created, leaving Rey alone.

Finn, Poe, Chewie, and BB-8 were waiting outside. The two humans had huge smiles on their faces. "What?" Rey asked. Finn only shook his head. "I still can't believe it. You stole Kylo Ren's shuttle." She grinned.

"One small victory for us, I guess" she said.

"So what happened?" Poe asked, smiling.

"Well, it all started when we located an abandoned mining complex-" she started, and told them an abridged version of what had happened. She left out the part about the Force vision, but talked about everything else. The two stared at her the entire time.

"Man, wish I'd been there to help you" Finn said when Rey had finished with her story.

"Same here. That elevator, though..." Poe said. A nicely dressed soldier came up behind the group.

"Excuse me, Dameron, Finn, Rey. You have been requested to go to the interrogation room by General Organa."

"Wait, we have an interrogation room? When did this happen?" Poe asked.

"Why would the General want us to watch somebody's interrogation?" Finn asked. The soldier shrugged in response.

"Beats me. The interrogation room is on the far side of the palace, located in the Queen's old throne room." And with that, the soldier took his leave. The three heroes made their way towards the throne room while Chewie and the droids went to find a deserted Dejarik table in the mess hall.

As they approached the door, Finn noticed General Organa staring intently at him. And only him. _That can't be good._ No one else seemed to notice.

"Where did Luke go?" Rey asked.

"He went to the gardens to meditate" Leia replied.

"How is she doing?" Rey asked. At this, Leia only shook her head.

"Punched one of our men in the face. Even with the cuffs on." Poe sighed and smiled.

"This is going to be fun" he said, cracking his knuckles.

"I'm not sending you in to talk to her. I don't need my best pilot down with a broken nose." She turned towards Finn. "I'm sending Finn in."

Finn was taken aback. "Wait, _me?_ Why?"

"You were in the First Order. Perhaps a familiar face will help her. We're not grilling her for information. We just need her to cooperate."

"But I'm a traitor to her cause! She's gonna hate my guts" Finn said, his innards grinding against each other. He didn't want any reminders of his past to come smacking him in the face. He sighed, then said: "Alright, then. Let's do this." He walked into the throne room. Light leaked through the large windows, bathing the gilded room in its golden rays. The Queen's throne had been moved to make room for a flimsy folding table. Sitting down at flimsy folding table, with her hands secured to the table, was the prisoner. Her eyes grew a bit wider when she saw just who was walking towards her. Off to the side of the room stood two Resistance soldiers, weapons drawn. One of them was holding a busted nose.

Finn sat down at the seat across from the prisoner. She looked up at him. "What do you want?" Elena asked.

"Just to talk" he replied. She shook her head and rattled the cuffs against the table. "Not gonna happen... _traitor_." She spat out the last word. Finn cringed slightly, but retained his composure.

"Look, I know all about the First Order" he said, trying to take the talk off the topic of his defection. "I know what they do. They murder innocent people in cold blood, and expect the galaxy to bow down to them. I deserted because it felt wrong. Sure, they can call me a traitor, but I can die knowing that I haven't killed somebody who didn't deserve it." Finn said. Elena looked at him.

"You are going to regret bringing me here. When I return and inform them of this base's location, I will become a war hero" she said, and flashed him a cruel smile. Finn only shook his head sadly.

"You don't get it, do you? If you return to them, they will treat you as a liability. You might have spilled some important secrets to the" pathetic Resistance." Hux, Phasma, even Kylo Ren will be suspicious of you. If you return, one wrong move is all it will take for you to find yourself in a body bag" Finn said. The little smile on Elena's face slowly faded away.

"Surely you are joking" she said, but Finn could tell in her eyes that she herself confirmed the statement. "I'm not. The First Order doesn't care about people. They care about results, numbers, victories. They will do anything to get to the top of the heap, even if it means building a mound of bodies to stand on." He stood up from the table. "Please, help us" he said. "We can protect you." Elena looked at him as he had somehow turned into a mysterious creature of some kind. "You have a lot of fight in you. We could use somebody like you around here. Think about it." And with that, Finn left the throne room.

The group was waiting for them outside. "How did it go?" Leia asked.

"I think I got through to her. I don't know, really. She was very good at keeping a straight face" he replied.

"So, what now?" Poe asked.

"We wait for what the technicians can find in the shuttle's transponder." Leia responded. "In the meantime, Rey, Luke said that you need some rest. You've had a long week." Rey bowed politely.

"So, who's up for a little fun?" Poe asked. "C'mon, I know a couple good places around here" he said, sandwiching the other two together. "Let's go do something!" The giant hero sandwich paraded down the halls of Theed Palace. Poe's battle cry of "Tonight's gonna be awesome!" echoed through the regal corridors.


	7. Downtime

**Note: Prepare yourself. Nothing graphic, I swear. Just... read on.**

* * *

 **VII**

 **Downtime**

It seemed that everything started with the third glass of whiskey, Rey noted wistfully in some sub-conscious part of her brain. The Naboo pub Poe had taken them to was just like the rest of the planet, full of light and plants and just absolutely stunning. She watched as the pilot downed what appeared to be his fourth glass. She wasn't much of a drinker, but after a third glass of some of the strongest alcohol in the galaxy, she noticed that the world was brighter. The fading sun glinted through the windows. The three sat a regal-looking table, the two men sitting across from her. Rey admitted that she had never seen a place where half the world was made of gold. Poe just shrugged and downed yet another glass.

"Okay, so, I have a question I think you all need to hear" Finn gushed, his words spewing from his mouth in a great burst like a fast-moving river. He was having some trouble holding his liquor down, as his hand holding the cup of ale was jittering violently.

"We're listening" Rey said, and downed the golden liquid in her cup. She appreciated the burning in her throat. It helped her relax. Already, she could feel herself sinking into a low-grade euphoria.

"Who do you love?" he said, half-singing it in a unnatural high-pitched voice. Finn broke out into a spasm of giggling. Poe slowly rolled his head and shot at a glance at Rey.

"I think you should go first" Poe suggested. Rey was taken aback slightly. The image of Elena tied up in her underclothes sprang into her mind. She tried her hardest to suppress the inevitable blush that would follow.

"Um... I don't, uh, love people. No! I,I mean that I don't love people like that!" She felt her cheeks grow warm. The two men burst out in peals of laughter that were lost in the pub's din. After the laughter subsided, her gaze turned to Poe.

"How about you, flyboy? Chasing anybody? Jessika, maybe?" She laughed a little too loudly. Poe's eyes grew cloudy. There was a beat of silence between the three friends.

"First off, Jessika isn't into men. And yes, I guess there is someone I've had my eye on for quite some time now" he admitted. The two watched him intently. Finn sloppily gestured with his free hand.

"Well c'mon then! What does she look like?" he said. Poe sighed and turned to face Finn.

"My interest isn't a she." There was another short silence as the pilot's words sunk in.

"Poe? You're..." Rey was groping for the word she wanted to use. It was on the tip of her tongue, but Poe finished the sentence for her.

"Gay. I'm gay. I like men. And I like one man in particular." He turned to Finn. "There is something about you, Finn, that... makes me feel _good_. You make me smile and happy and I can't thank you enough for it. I gave you the jacket because I knew you were special, from the moment I saw you." He forcefully set his drink down. "Force, I love you." Tears began to form at the corners of Poe's eyes.

After a second of silence, Finn took Poe's hand and held it in his. "You wanna know something, Poe?" Poe looked at Finn. "I was just about to say the same thing." Without warning, Finn leaned in close. The two locked lips, kissing long and deep. After several seconds, they broke off, cheeks red. They turned to look at Rey. Her jaw was dropped, nearly to the floor, and her eyes were bulging.

"You can pick your jaw up" Poe said. Her mouth snapped shut with a swiftness that Poe had never seen.

"By the Force... I did not expect that" Rey said. Finn shrugged a little, then drank from his glass. After setting it down, his face fell.

"What is it?" Poe asked.

"I just... thought about Han. It's been almost a year since... Starkiller." The table grew quiet in remembrance for the fallen hero. Rey thought of the tired, grinning old man who still had a lot of life left in him. After a second, Poe raised his glass.

"To Han Solo, one of the greatest men I've ever known" The other two raised their glasses and drank. Rey glanced over at a dingy little chrono hanging on the wall.

"It's getting late, guys. I think we should start heading back to base" she said. The three heroes downed the rest of their drinks in a jiffy. They stood up, wobbling all the way to the door. Rey didn't realize how hard it was to walk when the whole world was blurry and spinning. The three made it out of the door into the cool Naboo night. She wildly raised her arm to flag for a speeder cab. After a minute, one stopped. Rey, Finn, and Poe crammed inside the backseat.

"What is your destination?" a sleek silver droid driver asked.

"Theed Palace" Poe replied.

"Please swipe your credit chit" the droid asked. Poe fumbled around in his pockets until he found his credit chit. He swiped it in the scanner. The droid took a moment to process the transaction.

"Thank you for choosing Theed Speeders. Enjoy your trip" it responded. The speeder lurched forward, heading for the palace.

* * *

Several minutes later, The cab dropped them off just outside the palace's main gate. Rey took one step out of the speeder and nearly lost her footing. Kark, had she really had that much to drink? She looked over to see Poe and Finn get out.

"Imma, imma tink Irm goiing too bedd" she slurred. Poe nodded in understanding.

"We're going to bed as well" he said. The three entered the palace quietly. Navigating through a maze of corridors, they made their way through the palace, trying not to disturb anybody who might've been asleep. Rey made it to the door to her quarters. And only the door. She stood there, blankly staring at the durasteel door for nearly a minute before pitching headfirst into the floor, out cold. Ahead of her, Finn and Poe made it to Poe's room.

"Well? Now what?" Finn asked as they entered. Poe smiled.

"Now the real night begins" he whispered huskily as the door shut behind them. He took off Finn's jacket and shirt gingerly, admiring his toned abs. Gently, he traced a finger down the long, curving scar on Finn's back. The weeks he had spent in the infirmary, hoping that his crush would wake up. He felt Finn shiver underneath his touch.

"It's okay" Poe said as the two of them started moving slowly towards the bed, undoing both of their pants. "Tonight's going to be a good night."

* * *

 _The night was blacker than the depths of hell. Raindrops cascaded down in torrents upon her. Rey stood her ground, standing defiantly in front of_ him. He _glowered at her, and Rey could feel the poisonous daggers of his stare piercing her very soul. Their lightsabers cast a fiery glow on the rain-stricken ground. She raised her lightsaber to defend herself. Before their swords could clash, a dark, raspy voice that she had never heard before filled the air._

 _"Are you afraid?" it taunted. "You should be, for you will lose everything dear to you. I will see to that."_

 _A shadow fluttered behind_ him. _Rey watched as a single beam of red energy pierced through_ his _chest._ He _slumped forward off the blade. The shadow materialized into a man. Rey took one look at the thing that murdered Kylo Ren and screamed at the sight. A chorus of a thousand shrieking voices joined her:_

KORAHMATAHKORAHRHATAHMAHDANYAHKEELAHKORAHRHATAHMAHSEYLOKEELAHKORAHRHATAHMAHKORAH

 _A beam of scorching green light enveloped them, and she was gone._


End file.
